Tightening reel for clotheslines



March 2, 1954 c w BATY TIGHTENING REEL FOR CLOTHESLINES Filed April 30, 1951 Garrol/ W. Barry INVENTOR.

iatented Mar. 2, 195 4 UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE TIGHTENING REEL FOR CLOTHESLINES Carroll W. Baty, Tarzana, Calif.

Application April 30, 1951, Serial No. 223,807

1 Claim. ,1

This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in an adjustable support for clotheslines and is directed to similar subject matter and represents an improvement over the invention set forth in my copending application, Serial No. 187,299, filed September 28, 1950, for Clotheslines.

The principal objects of this invention are to provide an improved supporting device for clothes- :lines which will enable a plurality of clotheslines to b mounted in an improved manner and will generally facilitate the adjustment of the tension thereof; will enable all of the clotheslines to be simultaneously tensioned by a common tightening mechanism; and will permit the individual tensioning and varying of the tension of individual clotheslines without interfering with the above mentioned simultaneous tensioning of the lines.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a clotheslines adjusting and supporting mechanism in which individual mounting and tensioning assemblies are applied to one end of the individual clotheslines, and a simultaneous tensioning mechanism is provided for engaging the other ends of the clotheslines.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a clothesline tension adjusting mechanism having a ratchet operating mechanism provided with a readily disengageable handle; and having individual tensioning shafts for the foot ends of the clotheslines, together with improved means for maintaining the tensioning shafts in adjusted Position.

These, together with various ancillary features and objects of the invention, which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the elements of this invention applied to the horizontal foot supporting bar for a plurality of clotheslines, parts being broken away;

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 22 of Figure 1 and showing the locking means for the foot tensioning members of the clothesline;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the horizontal head bar of the clothesline supporting and adjusting mechanism, parts being broken away; and Figure 4 is a detail exploded perspective view 2 o of the clamping means for detachably securing the handle to the ratchet mechanism.

The present invention is shown applied to the horizontal head and foot bars l0 and r2, respectively, each of which is mounted upon a vertical support shaft l4. As set forth in my above identified copending application, the clotheslines supporting assembly consists of the conventional arrangement of parallel vertical support bars l4 spaced from each other and provided with the horizontally disposed'head and foot support bars I0 and I2, adapted to have stretched therebetween and adjustably secured thereto, as set forth hereinafter, a plurality of clotheslines l6, parallelly disposed.

The horizontal foot bar I2 is provided with a plurality of spaced apertures, through which the foot ends of the clotheslines 16 are adapted to extend and be attached to individual tensioning and anchoring members as set forth hereinafter. The forward or head ends of the clotheslines [6 are attached to chains or cables l8 which, in turn, are secured to and Wound about a crankshaft 20 which extends in parallel relation to the horizontal head bar I0. The clotheslines are thus all secured at one end to a common crankshaft 20, but are individually connected at their foot ends to individual mounting and tensioning members as set forth hereinafter.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that a plurality of U-shaped brackets 20 are provided having aparallel laterally extending end walls or lugs 22. U-bolts 24 are provided which extend through the base portions of the brackets 20 and serve to clamp the brackets in longitudinally adjusted position upon the tubular shaft constituting the horizontal foot bar 12. As will be readily understood, the base portions of the brackets 20 are necessarily provided with apertures which register with the apertures in the foot bar so that the clothesline [6 may extend through these apertures.

Rotatably journaled in the parallel end walls 22 of the brackets 20 is a slack take-up shaft 26 whose ends preferably extend beyond the bracket members 22 as shown. One such bracket and take-up shaft journaled therein is provided for each of the clotheslines H5. The latter have their foot ends wound upon the take-up shafts 26 and secured thereto-in any desired manner whereby, upon rotation of the shafts, the individual clotheslines will be selectively tightened or loosened.

To effect this slack take-up and tensioning function, the opposite ends of the take-up shafts 26 are'provid'ed with diametrically disposed bores 28 disposed at suitable angular intervals about the shaft. Preferably, a pair of handles 30 are provided, slidably received within the bores 28, the handles at the opposite ends of the shaft being preferably disposed at an angular relation to each other, as, for example, at right angles, as shown in Figure 1. These handles may be provided with terminal knobs 32 to prevent their removal from the bores of the slack take-up shafts 25 but permit rsli'ding movement ithrou'gh these bores.

In order to retain the slack take-up shafts.

in adjusted position, the foot bars l2 are pro= vided with suitable apertures-134rtherethroughi into which the ends of the handlesmay be removably seated, as shown in Figure *2;-to"thereby lock or retain the take-up; shafts adjusted:

position.

Thus, the individual clotheslines may beadjustably tensioned as desired and the take-up shafts may be lockedxin theradjustedrposition in the manner apparentfrom-Figure 2."

The crankshaft 2 i has its 1 ends :3 ournale'din supporting brackets, one :of iwhich, as shown in Figure 3, consists rof-zan'angle iron- ;member having the portions 36 Eand:;38,; the formerrbeingrse cured by I-bolt's to {the head bard-ligand the latter constituting a bearing :rotatably:.supporting-ethic end "of the crankshaft 20.

A ratchet operating mechanism isassjociated with the cranksh aft :and- :its "mounting brackets. This mechanism includesuan elongatedplate 640 constituting a ratchetwhandle and which is :free- 1y rotatably received: supon ther'crankshafti '28 adjacent the bracket plate 38. Fixedlyysecuned togthe crankshaft 211 is :a ratchet gear 42, it .being :seen that the'ratchet': handle $115,139,548; is retainedabetween thesbr-a'cket wall 38*and::the gear '42 forgfree :oscill'ationnpon the rcrankshaft.

By, meansxofi' 3f pivot: 44' avratchetmawl- 'lfi-ds secured tov thepplate dil' ands-is -operatively--en? .gageable with-the teeth of the'ratchetwg'earafl, a spring 48 being: :connected 3to;thezpaw1 :46 :and to a supportinglug, :50 on, the; plate 403'. This spring iserves F. to :1 yieldingly retain the; pawl =46 in engagement with: the ratchet. teeth. whereby oscillation-f the plateiil in one direction will cause rotation; of: the shaft rZil; but zr'novement of the plate in the otherrdirectionwillcause the pawl 46rito :ridei over "the teeth; of :itheegear 42. Axlocking pawl 52- zhas its nose= engageable with the teeth'of the pinion 2Jand is pivotally mount .edp-upon apivot pin 54 carried "by 'th'e'zbracket plate38s Thevpawls 52 andilfi'iarezoppositely disposed with; respect :to the gear 42; in ,suclra manner that the rotation of the gear bythe ratchet pawl 46 will cause the ear to;slidea.un:- der the locking pawl 52, while upon'reversamovement of the-:ratchet pawl, the latter willc'shde over the gear teeth while the 1 locking 1 pawl will engage or prevent reverse rotation ofthesame. Thus, the ratchet mechanism'will:facilitaterro tati'on of theicrank-shaft in one direction whereby all of the:-.clotheslines will besimultaneously 'tensioned; but whereby releases 7 of 1 this; tension will beprevented.

In order :to enable :the tension to: be released uponcthe ;clotheslines by' permitting reverse. rota:- tion of the. crankshaft 120', a common rpawl' release means is :provided. consistingiof *"a .wire or cable 5Ssadapted 1130; be manually1-operated I" by the usersand which: is :connectedi-to :a chain: or other-fastener: 58; The latter has one send-asecured: to the-.;:undersidez of .1 the ';;ratchet pawl::

fOIQWlthdIEWiHgZ thessameafro'm: its -.-engagement 1' 4 with the pinion teeth against the resistance of the spring 48, and has its other end entrained over a guide 58 in the form of an I-bolt carried by the bracket plate 35, and secured to the upper surface of the locking pawl 52. As will now be apparent, downward movement of the member 56 will disengage both pawls, thereby permitting the crankshaft to rotate and release the tensionon the clotheslines.

As shown in Figures 3 and-4,1a pair of channelshaped clamping plates62'an'd 64 are provided, each apertured at $6, for the reception of fastening members in the form of pins, bolts, rivets or the: liken Amextension handle 10 is adapted to be received removably in the socket formed between the'two clamping plates 62 and 64 when the .latterz-are 'clamped upon the extremity of the ratchet plate 30. If desired, the pin 68 may extend through suitable apertures in the members 4D and it as welltas through the apertures fifildf'the clamping plates,- or may merelyconstitute means for retaining the clamping plates upon the member :46 if desired;-

By the construction previously described; it will {now be apparent that the ratchet mechanisinzp'rovides a means. for-simultaneouslytensioning or releasing the tension of the plurality of clotheslines supported. by, this-device; However," individual clotheslines' may have their ten- -sions varied or separately-adjusted. by the slack takeeup' members previously: described and mounted upon the footbar'ofithez-devicer This device, therefore, greatly conveniences the clotheslineuser by enabling him tovary .the slack ofTa" particular line-as desired, orincrease the tension of all of the lines or release the same with a single motion from asingle-aposition;

Where desired, the horizontal fbars .ltIand/o'r :2 may be detachably secured to the vertical surfaces'of :the posts M as by bolts clamps or. in any-other desiredman'ner. It will. be appreciated that :each :end supporting assembly may include a;:pair -of"parallel'ports. .ltwith the horizontal cross bars :I t :or I 2 .bolted thereto, andea'ch may include'af single tightenerrassemblyof the type shown in Figure 3for1allioftheclotheslines togetherwith a singlem-ember Of'lthE type shown ins Figure-.-3"mounted on the opposite-end supporting asse'mblies.

Sincerfrom the foregoingpthe constructionand advantage of this. devicev are readily apparent, furtherrdescriptioriis believed-to be unnecessary.

However; since' numerous: modifications and equivalents will readily occur to those skilled in the art after: a consideration 'of. the foregoing specification andv accompanying drawings; it is not'intended. to limit :the inventionto the exact embodiment shown and described'but all suitable modificationsrand v equivalents nmay be resorted ztoivhich fall withinrthe scope of the-up;- pended claim.

Having described-the invention; what is claimed as new is:

A reel comprising-a support, a shaft journaled in, said support and adapted/to receive a line wound U'lElBfilL-al'fitfiht gear fixedtosaid shaft and rotatable therewith; ratchet handle-1ptatably' jourhaied on said shaft, a'ratchet pawl pivoted-to said handle and engaging said gearto cause rotation of said shaft in one-dir ection, a locking pawl' pivoted to said "support and releasably engaging said gear to prevent reverse rotation, means for simultaneouslyreleasing :both said pawls, said means including a cable attachediat itsrendmtoisaidzxpawls aand being slidably:=mount- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Vedder Sept. 14, 1897 Number Number 6 Name Date Shotwell Jan. 12, 1904 Gourley 1 Feb. 6, 1923 Davis May 28, 1940 Falk July 2, 1940 Lawrence Jan. 31, 1950 Anglemeyer Mar. 21, 1950 

